Improvement in wash-boilers



EDWARD E. BREWSTER.

Improvement in Wash Boilers.

Patented Jan. 30, 1872.

Jay. 4.

Unrrnn Srarns rrron.

PATENT IMPROVEMENT IN WASH-BOILERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,226, dated January 30, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, EDWARD E. Bnnwsrnn, of Holly, in the county of Oakland and in the State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in\'Vasl1ers and Boilers; and do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in Which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the upper side of my device. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same on the line so :10 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of said device on the line 3 y of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same with the pump removed.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is to improve the operation of a class of devices known as washers and boilers, in which boiling water is caused to pass downward through soiled clothing; and it consists, principally, in the arrangement of a suction-pump within the boiler, for the purpose of removing water from beneath the false bottom, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. It consists, further, in thepeculiar construction of the false bottom, substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter shown. I

In the annexed drawing, A andA represent two series of sheet-metal bars, having a shape in transverse section, and corresponding plan View to the shape of one half of the boiler, and having different lengths, so that when'arranged upon a horizontal plane, their contiguous edges shall be parallel with each other and with the vertical wall of said boiler. The bars thus formed are arranged with their open sides downward, and with their outer sides vertical, so as to cause their inner upper sides to incline downward and inward at an angle of about forty-five degrees, in which position the bars of each series are connected together, and the different series united by means of a central plate of metal, B, which extends transversely across the ends of said bars, and

is provided upon either edge with a downwardprojecting flan ge, I), through and within which the ends of the same are secured. A straight bar, A, having its outer end inclosed and rounded, is placed at the center of each series of bars, and serves to fill the space between the opposite arms of the inner curved bars. The bars are further strengthened by a series of metalrods, U, which are secured transversely in parallel lines, and at equi-distant points upon the upper sides of the same. A strip of sheet-metal, D, is secured in a vertical position around the outer side of the false bottom thus formed, and extending downward below the lower side of the bars, furnishes a support for said bottom, and also forms a water-space, E, between the same and the real bottom of the boiler. Extending vertically upward from the center of the central plate B is a metal pipe, F, inclosed at its upper end, and provided upon opposite sides with two spouts, G, which extend outward and slightly downward toward the ends of the boiler.

As thus constructed, the boiler is ready for use in the usual manner by having a sufficient quantity of water placed within its interior, the false bottom closely covered with soiled clothing and said water caused to boil, by which means the action of steam generated beneath said false bottom will force the water contained within the space E upward through the pipe F and spouts G to and upon the upper side of the clothing, through the latter of which said water will pass downward, to be again thrown upward whenever a sufficient pressure of steam is generated. It will be seen that by means of the peculiar transverse shape of the bars A the water, in passing downward, is thrown towards the center of the space E, or directly beneath the pipe F, while from the form of said bars in plan view, a series of channels is formed which converge toward the longitudinal center of the boiler and cause the boiling water to tend toward the same point, so as to be more readily thrown upward through said pipe. As from the rapidity with which water is passed through the soiled clothing depends the amount of time consumed in cleansing the latter, the following-described means are employed for increasing the action: The cover f of the pipe F is removed and the upper end of the latter is inclosed by means of a cylindrical metal box, H, somewhat greater in diameter than the same, from the inclosed bottom of which box extends downward a flange, h which closely fills the interior of said pipe to or below the lower edge of the inner ends of the spouts G. From opposite sides of the box H extend outward and downward two spouts, I, while within its center is secured the barrel K of an ordinary suctionpump, which, passing vertically downward through the pipe F, terminates within the space E. A brace, L, secured to the upper end of the cylinder K, and from thence extending upward and outward, has pivoted within its outer end a lever or handle, M, to the inner end of which is in turn pivoted the plunger-rod N. 1f, now, the water and clothing are inserted as before, and the pump opera-ted, the water from beneath the false bottom will be raised and thrown upon the upper side of said clothing, through which it will be quickly drawn downward by means of the partial vacuum created by the pump, the rapidity of the action of the water depending entirely upon the capacity of the pump and the speed with which the same is operated. The especial advantage obtained by the use of the pump is, that it enables the circulation of the water to be quickened and made continuous, and thereby the desired result secured in a comparatively-short space of time.

Having thus fully set forth the nature and merits of my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The combination and relative arrangement of the wash-boiler, the false or elevated bottom for sustaining soiled clothing, and the suction-pump communicating with the waterspace beneath said falsebottom, and with the interior of said boiler above said clothing, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. In combination with a \V&S1l-b0l11, a false or elevated bottom, composed principally of two series of A-shaped bars, constructed, arranged, and combined substai'itially as and for the purpose shown.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of January, 1872.

EDWARD E. BREW'STER.

Witnesses GEO. S. PRINDLE, EDM. F. BROWN. 

